The Roman Baths

Bath was founded upon natural hot springs with the steaming water playing a key role throughout its history. Lying in the heart of the city the Roman Baths were constructed around 70 AD as a grand bathing and socialising complex. It is now one of the best preserved Roman remains in the world.

1,170,000 litres of steaming spring water reaching 46 °C still fill the bathing site every single day. The Romans believed that this was the mystical work of the Gods but we now know that the water source, which comes from the King’s Spring, fell as rain water around 10,000 BC.

Visit The Great Bath, the magnificent epicentre to the complex and walk on the ancient cobbled pathways as the Romans did 2,000 years ago. The Great Bath that lies below street level can also be viewed from the Terrace, which is adorned with statues and shadowed by the great Abbey. Other chambers to explore include the remains of the ancient heated rooms and changing rooms as well as tepid and plunge pools.

Be sure to pick up an audioguide and listen to fascinating commentary as you slowly make your way around the site. These are available in twelve different languages, with special guides for children. A special English speaking audio guide narrated by Bill Bryson is also available and offers witty thoughts and observations on all things Roman.

Discounts

Additional info

Pump Room restaurant open for morning coffee, light lunches and afternoon tea, with music by the Pump Room Trio.

Roman Baths Kitchen open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks.

Lift and wheelchair access to 90% of the site.

Discounts for Groups

The entire collection of the Roman Baths is a Designated Collection of national importance.

Some of the best known finds from Roman Britain are to be found amongst the 50,000 objects in the Roman Baths Museum. The collections include objects from the mesolithic to the present which tell the story of seven thousand years of human activity around Britain's only hot springs, which are the heart of the World Heritage Site at Bath.

The Roman Baths and Temple of Sulis Minerva are among the finest Roman remains in Britain. At the hot spring, the Celtic and Classical worlds met in a magnificent complex of stone buildings used for worship, cleansing and healing. The museum, below the 18th century Pump Room, contains the monumental remains of these buildings and evidence of the people who used them.

Roman Baths Teachers Pack, KS1 and 2

This pack aims to help teachers plan a lively self-guided educational visit to the Roman Baths. It includes ideas to use in pre-visit, on-site, and follow-up activities.Teaching sessions are also available in response to National Curriculum and QCA units. Details can be found on our website or by ringing 01225 477785.This material is adaptable for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils, providing a wide range of cross-curricular topics. We suggest that you pick and choose from these activities according to your topic focus, the time you have available and your own students.

Face to face resources

Meet the Romans KS2

This 60 minute interactive sessions explores hisotry, literacy, numeracay and art. It is ideal for years 3 and 4. It is an opportunity to tour real Roman artefacts! Why not try the 'counter challenge' and take a view on the past.

How to obtain

Book in advance on 01225 477785

Digital and online resources

Roman Baths Museum Walkthrough

The Roman Baths is below the modern street level and has four main features, the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman bath house and finds from Roman Bath. The Georgian Pump Room is on the ground level. This interactive site plan has details of the different areas of the site, along with photographs and examples of archaeological finds.

Website

E-mail

Enquiries

Group Bookings

Telephone

Enquiries/Group Bookings

01225 477785

Pump Room restaurant

01225 444477

Fax

Enquiries/Group Bookings

01225 477743

All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

The Art Fund Prize can usually be relied upon to select a diverse shortlist, but this year's entries are particularly disparate, with venues run largely by volunteers to multi-million pound developments. All four finalists will be hopeful of winning the £100,000 award.